godparent question

[Princess_Abby]

Is it better for a child to have only one godparent who is unmarried but a very good practicing Catholic–or two godparents (not married to each other), one who is a very good practicing Catholic and the other who tries but lacks some Catechesis and does not live every aspect of the faith?

 

[mumto5]

Princess_Abby:

Is it better for a child to have only one godparent who is unmarried but a very good practicing Catholic–or two godparents (not married to each other), one who is a very good practicing Catholic and the other who tries but lacks some Catechesis and does not live every aspect of the faith?

Maybe that depends on the role you and the godparents see the godparent role as being. I see it as mainly a prayerful role, in which case the odd deviation from being in perfect harmony with church teaching may be less significant. If it’s more a role of modelling and teaching, it may be more significant how they adhere to church teaching. How much they see the godparents might be a factor there too. All the godparents my children have are living very closely in line with church teaching with the exception of one - but that isn’t an issue in that case.

 

[puzzleannie]

the child only needs one godparent, and that person should be a practicing Catholic who meets the other requirements, and is not a parent of the child. If there are two, one can be a Christian witness, if baptized but not fully in communion with the Church and otherwise living a Christian life, as long as the other is a practicing Catholic who meets all the other requirements.

choosing godparents is hit or miss anyhow, because even if you choose close relatives there is no guarantee they will stay Catholic or adhere to the practice of the faith. Do your best and leave it in God’s hands.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Princess_Abby:

Is it better for a child to have only one godparent who is unmarried but a very good practicing Catholic–or two godparents (not married to each other), one who is a very good practicing Catholic and the other who tries but lacks some Catechesis and does not live every aspect of the faith?

I myself would not make the perfect Godparent and I feel that I know the Catholic faith and practice reasonably well. However I am not perfect, actually far from perfect. We have two Godparents so that they can represent the spiritual family as a spiritual father and mother who complement one another. Just as the actual father and mother should complement one another in parenting. What one lacks the other supplies. One need not be perfect to qualify as a Godparent.

 

[stbruno]

We teach baptism prep at our parish. Frequently, the unsaid question people are really asking is…In selecting the Godparents are they responsible for our child in the case of our deaths? Answer: No…the state does not recognize Godparents as legal guardians of your child… For that purpose, parents need to legally draw up a document, naming guardians for their minor children. Therefore, it is reasonable to follow that a single person, a married person or married persons to one another/ or not…can be selected as suitable godparents for the child. In fact, you may decide the godparents are the perfect legal guardians and you draw up a document that lists them as such. The key word is You should be selecting a suitable, practicing Catholic in good standing who is willing to help the parents raise this child in the Catholic church to whom he is baptized into.

The criteria is at least one practicing Catholic godparent who has reach the age of 16, and received the sacrament of Confirmation can be named as Godparent.

Merry Christmas!

 

[Princess_Abby]

Thanks everyone. And no, we weren’t confused about Godparents raising the children if something were to happen. (That’s a whole other issue–we really have almost no choices in that area and we daily talk about what to do about it.) I guess we’ll keep praying about what is best in terms of Godparents!